Gardening in Waitaki 1st February 2023

February and Children back at School. Ok, now we really are into a new working year!!! North Otago is experiencing a real summer compared to what Auckland and the far north are getting. Where they have sodden ground we are getting the opposite, I see the intense sun heat creating dry cracked ground and fields browning where irrigation is not on hand, reminiscence of past drought like summers Waitaki was known for with grain crops ripening to the point dryers were not needed. It goes without saying watering gardens during heat is a daily thing to keep moisture up to plants and lawns so it was a relief for plants I am sure for plants to be greeted this morning morning with low cloud and drizzle. In the flower garden take seed heads off anything that you do not want to spread, that goes for weeds as well, make sure you whack the seed heads off even if you don't pull them out there and then .Continue deadheading dahlias, petunias and roses to keep them bushy and flowering longer, remove stalky old growth right back to where the stem is plumper. Keep trimming hedges as they finish putting on soft new growth and either compost the trimmings if not too woody or scatter them around the garden, they are soft enough to break down at this time of the year. Hybrid clematis: It's the right time from now on to plant large flowering hybrid clematis to get roots established before winter. There are some stunning hybrid clematis on offer, huge or delicate flowers, in vibrant shades that to me have a tropical look climbing and spilling through gardens, I had a stunning claret red one in my past garden which I forgot about every year until it bloomed to surprise and please me. When planting try not to disturb the roots, fungus spray on roots and growth will help eliminate the wilt problem some clematis suffer from. Sprinkle a little lime around the drip line to sweeten soil. Lawns Heat slows down growth if grass is not fed and watered regularly and weeds ramp up growth in dry lawns, leaving the catcher off now and then helps shade grass roots and covers gaps where weeds want to settle. I fertilise lawns during rain which adds nutrients when clippings are left or spread on gardens or composted. Grass grub beetles lay eggs in grass over summer and their grubs start feeding on grass roots this month until May. Grubs can be eradicated with products available while grubs are near the surface but after May they stop feeding and then burrow down to about 25cm to over-winter. Fruit: With all the ripening heat there is a lot of fruit ready for picking, I have made plum sauce and apricot jam so far and will not be stopping at that. Vegetables: plant, pick and enjoy.

Gardening in Waitaki January 18th 2023

I am loving this real summer weather with all the growth and I do tend to repeat myself, mentioning cutting back all early summer perennials and shrubs before they make seed. You can be especially hard now on hedges if height and width need reducing as the grow back rate is fast to cover any unsightly scalping. Height can be taken out of shelter shrubs like pittosporum, laurels and conifers should they be getting taller than required by removing the center leader to a point where lower branches will cover the cut. This will stop these shrubs from becoming the trees they were created to be. Growth removed from top's and sides will regenerate but branches removed from the bottom will seldom regrow. Heat this summer is hard on shallow rooted rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas, if any have outgrown the space allotted width and height can be reduced now before budding becomes too advanced and removing as many spent flower heads as can be reached will benefit growth. Collecting rose petals to make potpourri is a nice way to carry summer into the colder months. Pick petals and rose buds early in the morning when still plump from dew, lay them out separated on newspaper and place in a dark, warm, very dry place ( there must be no hint of moisture or petals will grow mold). Once the petals have completely dried place in a glass jar with a lid, at this stage you can add spices (such as cinnamon or cloves) or dried rosemary, lavender or even dried citrus slices to personalise your scent. Close the container and gently shake from time to time then store and enjoy the scent of summer whenever the lid is opened. Seed collecting is well under way now, a few warm days in a row will ripen pods that have been slow to mature. I like to store mature pods into small paper bags / envelopes where they can pop in their own time. Continue to mulch with light scatterings of un-sprayed grass clippings to keep moisture in soil, they break down into humus quickly with summer sun and rain. All tree foliage benefits from mulch around a tree root area to retain moisture needed to benefit foliage at a height. Lawns scorch badly as they experience day after day of intense heat, keeping the catcher higher, early morning soakings and feeding during rain helps them stay green. Lawn weeds can be sprayed if needed, there are a few different lawn weed sprays on offer to deal with whatever weeds are a problem. I pick a time to spray when bees are not about and only spot spray to consider the worm population working in the soil. Fruit & Veg: It's proving to be a bumper year for both fruit and veg, my corn, beans and pumpkins have really taken off now after a slowish start, and my cucumber plants are producing and ripening well but tomatoes are very slow to ripen, other Gardeners have confirmed the same is happening with their tomato plants. Keep rotating root and leaf vegetables to get the best results. New potatoes will be loving the warmth, I leave them in the ground well covered until ready to use even when the tops have died back. Garlic is dug and hung to dry, I plant local Kakanui stock and still, after years of growing, find it surprising when I lift such large bulbs produced from single cloves. Cheers, Linda.

Gardening in Waitaki January 11th 2023

I would imagine many people are still in holiday mode and long may it last......it would be great if the lawns and garden followed suit. It is so good to get rain when we do to keep gardens fresh. Weeds love these perfect growing conditions, if you need to spray, wait until the end of a hot day when weeds are thirsty and bee's are not about. The summer cut back, with the continual growth and garden maintenance being all about keeping plants and shrubs under control, cutting back will still be in full swing in gardens, once a plant has finished flowering there should be seed heads to save. Seed collecting starts now, I select annuals and perennials, letting a part of them go to seed for collecting when fully ripe, then store seed pods to pop out into brown paper bags. So far I have aquilegia, poppies, dianthus, pansy, viola, polyanthus and delphiniums, still waiting on peonies, iris, and many more treasures to fully ripen. Seeds can be planted during Autumn then the germinated seedlings will need to be nursed through winter. Agapanthus, hydrangeas and roses are all giving good displays around waitaki with the heat and moisture. Hydrangeas and hostas do best in semi shade and moist soil so summer rain has been perfect for them. My hostas are planted in a gravel garden so have been left alone by slugs not wanting to slither over a rough surface. Both hostas and hydrangeas will benefit from a dressing of blood and bone watered in when a good soak is needed. Lawns will be enjoying the heat and moisture which means catcher after catcher full. Grass cuttings are good humus to soil so cover bare ground as a mulch to conserve moisture and to block out the light needed for weeds to grow. Vegetable gardens should still be producing well, I have a slug problem because of keeping the garden too moist, keep veg leaves up off the soil as they are great hiding places for slugs and snails. Beans are plentiful and Corn and pumpkins are putting on good growth which is important because they both need a long ripening season. Fruit: So many fruits are ripening now, black currants and raspberries to freeze, strawberries, apricots and plums. Apple and pear trees are layden to the point where thinning out of bunches will be necessary if wind does not take care of it. Cheers, Linda